Every streaming service has the movies they champion that they know will excite people, along with originals they place at the front of the service when you log on. Certainly, a large majority of these flicks get the deserved hype, but this also tends to bury some great titles in the bowels of their available selection. It can certainly be fun to dig a bit deeper and look for some gems, and Prime Video is no exception when it comes to great content that you won’t see unless you actively seek it out.
Here are 10 titles that get overlooked but are very much worth adding to your queue. Check out each one below. We tried to piece together a list that spans multiple genres and decades to highlight the diversity of content you can find on Prime.
10
‘Lenny’ (1974)
Lenny
- Release Date
-
November 10, 1974
- Runtime
-
111 minutes
- Director
-
Bob Fosse
-
-
Valerie Perrine
Honey Bruce
-
-
Stanley Beck
Artie Silver
Lenny follows the life of stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce (Dustin Hoffman), including his early rise to success, following controversies, and his downfall. The film is shot in a semi-pseudo-documentary style, with talking heads helping to push the narrative forward. The movie aims to capture the legacy of Lenny Bruce, whose battle against obscenity charges became a pivotal moment in the fight for free speech and the art of stand-up.
A Tragic Martyr for Free Speech
Lenny Bruce is often a forgotten, tragic figure, with 1950s comedy specials now vastly out of touch with modern sentiments. Yet, every great stand-up comedian owes it to the man who essentially died for the craft; controversies led to his death in his 40s due to drug addiction brought on by stress. Lenny is a fascinating portrait of a man in decline; a man who was already flawed being thrust up against a justice system that is looking to silence him. Dustin Hoffman’s performance is spectacular, and the use of talking heads adds a lot of validity to the struggles that Bruce faced publicly and behind the scenes.
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9
‘Sound of Noise’ (2010)
Six anarchist drummers have declared their intent to cause chaos throughout Sweden by conducting a series of percussion pieces in various institutions and private businesses. Detective Amadeus Warnebring, who is tone-deaf and hates music, is tasked with bringing the group to justice.
Make Some Noise!
Picture the sensation that is ‘Stomp,’ except with a bit of crime and comedy thrown in with more catchy percussion pieces, and you have Sound of Noise. The movie is a musical with a punk edge, brought on by the desire to turn every working piece of equipment into a musical instrument while pulling off a crime. Sound of Noise is a lot of fun, and given that it is a Swedish/French production, it has flown under the radar for many, as foreign comedies don’t always translate to an English-speaking audience; this one is undoubtedly an exception.
8
‘Crumb Catcher’ (2024)
Crumb Catcher
2
/5
- Release Date
-
July 19, 2024
- Runtime
-
103 Minutes
- Director
-
Chris Skotchdopole
- Writers
-
Chris Skotchdopole
- Producers
-
Bonnie Timmermann, Brian Devine, James W. Skotchdopole, Larry Fessenden
Newlyweds Shane (Rigo Garay) and Leah (Ella Rae Peck) are constantly at odds, and their honeymoon is filled with constant arguing. Yet, their stay at a remote cabin becomes tenser when a waiter from their service, John (John Speredakos), and his wife, Rose (Lorraine Farris), show up with a deal they can’t refuse. Using blackmail against Shane, the two begin to sell the couple a new product known as the Crumb Catcher. As the night goes on, the negotiations to invest in the product turn violent.
Unwanted Company Leads To A Night of Awkwardness and Violence
To be clear, Crumb Catcher will not be a comedy for everyone. The movie thrives on awkward social interactions, lacks likable characters, and has an absurd basic premise. This admission is not to sell the film short but to prepare a potential audience. Comedy fans of Tim and Eric, Quinten Dupieux, and Richard Bates Jr. will find a wonderful mix of absurdity, awkwardness, and disturbing elements to delight them. Additionally, John Speredakos’s role as a desperate and vindictive huckster is unforgettable for those who like disturbing characters.
7
‘Submarine’ (2011)
Submarine
- Release Date
-
March 18, 2011
- Runtime
-
97 minutes
Based on Joe Dunthorne’s novel, Submarine is a coming-of-age romance story set in Wales in the 1980s. The film follows awkward and studious teenager Oliver Tate, who is looking to lose his virginity before his next birthday. Oliver finds himself fixated with new student Jordana Bevan, who uses him to make her ex jealous. However, as the two get to know each other better, they slowly build a sincere relationship.
A Cleverly Constructed Coming-of-Age Tale
The directorial debut of Richard Ayoade, best known as Moss in The IT Crowd, is a sincerely charming coming-of-age story with some light comedic tones. Any awkward teenager who struggled through their first romance will find the story endearing. Its British cultural elements also offer intrigue into a life slightly different from what Americans are accustomed to. The movie also has a visual flair via Ayoade’s influence from French new-wave cinema and a unique way of crafting its narrative that will be pleasant for fans of coming-of-age romance/dramas.
6
‘The Day of the Beast’ (1995)
The Day of the Beast
- Release Date
-
October 20, 1995
- Runtime
-
103 minutes
- Director
-
Álex de la Iglesia
Cast
-
-
-
Santiago Segura
José María
-
Father Ángel Berriartúa, a Basque priest, believes he has deciphered the rise of the antichrist, which is set to happen on Christmas. To stop the end of the world, he immerses himself in sin, committing as many crimes as possible while trying to contact a famous TV Satanist for help. A chance meeting with a Satan-worshiping, drug-taking, metal-head gives him an unlikely ally in his quest.
Satan Rises on Christmas
The Day of the Beast is a satanic Christmas horror-comedy that most don’t realize they need in their lives. From the mind of the brilliant and underappreciated Álex de la Iglesia, The Day of the Beast melds dark comedy and religious paranoia, setting it among urban decay and a society of declining morality. The film is a wild ride, with eccentric characters, spouts of over-the-top violence, and the looming threat of the world’s end.
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5
‘The Pizzagate Massacre’ (2020)
Inspired by the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, The Pizzagate Massacre follows struggling journalist Karen Black (Alexandria Payne), who reaches out to a right-wing group for help investigating crimes conducted in secret at a pizza parlor. There, she meets Duncan Plump (Tinus Seaux), an outsider within his militia group who eventually agrees to help her. Their meeting sets off a chain of events that turns violent and gets the attention of prominent media figures.
Humanizing Those on the Fringe
As micro-budget as they come, The Pizzagate Massacre is deceptive in its title. While there are certainly elements of horror and violence, the movie works better as an exploration of conspiracy theorists and the mindset that leads to belief in such things as “pizzagate” and lizard people. At the same time, filmmaker John Valley is not exploitative in his approach, nor does he go for the low-hanging fruit. Instead, he creates sincere, heavily flawed characters that he humanizes despite their questionable beliefs. The film is a fascinating, well-acted character study with flairs of impactful violence; it deserves greater recognition.
4
‘Millennium Actress’ (2002)
Millennium Actress
- Release Date
-
September 14, 2002
- Runtime
-
87 Minutes
- Director
-
Satoshi Kon
-
Miyoko Shoji
Chiyoko Fujiwara (70’s)
-
Mami Koyama
Chiyoko Fujiwara (20-40’s)
-
Fumiko Orikasa
Chiyoko Fujiwara (10-20’s)
-
Reclusive golden-era cinema star Chiyoko Fujiwara decides to give an interview when news that the studio she started at is being torn down, and documentarians are looking to chronicle her history with it. As a duo arrives to make record of Fujiwara’s remarkable career, they find themselves drawn into her world that is a mix of her real-life romantic struggles and the many roles that made her an icon of her era.
An Anime Masterpiece That Anyone Can Enjoy
The perfect blend of fantasy and romance, Millennium Actress is a visually rich anime experience with a lot of heart and emotion. Satoshi Kon is a popular name for anime fans, yet even then, Millennium Actress remains among his least championed works compared to Perfect Blue or Paprika. Still, the generation-spanning romance is not just for anime fans, as Millennium Actress also works as a celebration of cinema; you don’t have to appreciate anime to enjoy the brilliance on display here, both in visuals and storytelling.
3
‘Joe’ (1970)
Joe
- Release Date
-
July 15, 1970
- Runtime
-
107 Minutes
-
-
Dennis Patrick
Bill Compton
-
-
Patrick McDermott
Frank Russo
When the daughter of a wealthy New York advertising executive, Bill Compton, is hospitalized due to drugs, he decides to confront her boyfriend. In their meeting, he accidentally kills him. Yet, a chance meeting with a working-class bigot and hater of drug-addled youth in Joe Curran gives him a potential ally as the two build a mutual friendship in their hatred of hippies. Together, they plot a war against those they see as a plague on society.
What Does it Mean to be a True American?
Joe is one of the most underrated films of the ’70s. Despite suffering from a lower budget (not to mention a horrible name), the movie resonates decades after its release with themes of bigotry and right-wing radicalism that are still poignant in modern-day discourse. Moreover, it acts as a fascinating character study, with the deplorable Joe, brilliantly acted by Peter Boyle, placing his beliefs, insecurities, and hatred at the front and center of almost every interaction; he is oddly charismatic in just how committed he is to his broken belief system.
2
‘Barking Dogs Never Bite’ (2000)
Barking Dogs Never Bite
- Release Date
-
February 19, 2000
- Runtime
-
110 minutes
- Director
-
Bong Joon Ho
- Writers
-
Bong Joon Ho, Son Tae-woong
- Producers
-
Tcha Sung-jai
Struggling student Ko Yun-ju (Lee Sung-jae) is bothered by a dog in his apartment complex, leading him to eventually capture it and stash it in a room to be left for dead. Yet, when he learns he grabbed the wrong pet, he panics and returns to where he left the dog, only to find it is gone. Keeping his crime a secret, he teams up with Park Hyun-nam (Bae Doona), a poor bookkeeper and custodian keen to crack the case of the missing pooch.
Forming Bonds Over Missing Dogs
How does a film by Bong Joon Ho, the acclaimed director of films like Host and Parasite, appear on the list? Well, his early drama/comedy based around a missing dog does not quite reach the same heights as any of his later work. Still, there is a lot of charm here, and the film gives insight into Joon-Ho’s building genius that would see him rocket to international fame years later. This includes a knack for dark comedy with larger social commentary and bringing the best out of his actors to give career-defining performances.
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1
‘The Passenger’ (2023)
The Passenger
- Release Date
-
August 4, 2023
- Runtime
-
94 Minutes
- Director
-
Carter Smith
Randy Bradley (Johnny Berchtold) is a shy fast-food worker with little ambition beyond dedication to a dead-end job. This changes when a co-worker, Benson (Kyle Gallner), guns down all the other employees. Benson decides to spare Randy and tries to get the meek man to address the issues that have made him so disconnected from the world—a peculiar ‘friendship’ is formed under gunpoint and threats.
Riding Along With A Killer
Blumhouse means horror, right? Well, The Passenger certainly has the budget of a Blumhouse film, but to call it a horror film would be misleading—part of why it flew under the radar. Instead, the movie is an engrossing ride as one insecure man finds himself dragged into being an accomplice in a killing spree. Yet, where the film stands out from others is how the actions are turned into a quest to better the unfortunate ‘passenger’ brought along. For those who want violence, there is still plenty in abundance. Moreover, the performance by fan favorite Kyle Gallner (Strange Darling, Diner in America) is among his most memorable.
